A WALKER is recovering in hospital after a dramatic rescue operation by two helicopter teams.

A WALKER is recovering in hospital after a dramatic rescue operation by two helicopter teams.

Waldek Galeja, who is visiting from Poland, was walking in the Brecon Beacons when he fell into a river from a log, breaking both his feet.

His brother-in-law, Andrew Tredwell, had to trek about a quarter of a mile to reach him, and called the emergency services on his mobile phone.

A helicopter was called in, and took only about ten minutes to arrive. But Mr Tred-well, from Ystradgynlais, on the edge of the Beacons, said it did not have a winch, and a second helicopter was called.

Mr Galeja, a 32-year-old electrical mechanic whose sister is married to Mr Tredwell, has been in Wales for about a month. He was last night recovering in Morriston Hospital, Swansea, where he is said to be comfortable.

The accident happened on Saturday at Henrhyd Falls in Coelbren near Abercraf.

"We had decided to cross a river by walking over a log which I thought was safe enough to go over," Mr Tredwell said.

"I had gone ahead and the next thing I heard was a splash and Waldek calling my name. I turned round to see had fallen into the river about 12 feet below."

Because the log was on an incline Mr Tredwell decided it was too dangerous to go back down it. That meant he had to run around the river for a quarter of a mile until he could help his brother-in-law.

"He had blacked out for a few seconds and I could see he had two nasty cuts to his head as well as broken bones in his feet," said Mr Tredwell.

After alerting emergency services on his mobile phone, a helicopter arrived within ten minutes but had to be sent away because Mr Galeja's position meant he would have to be winched to safety.